Coffee Is But My Second Addiction
It was just closing time on Dragon's Coffee newest branch opening day when he walked inside. Merlin turned around, not even fully registering the blond man ahead of him before speaking.
"Sorry, we're closed."
Merlin had been up since five in the morning, and his brain had just about shut down around an hour ago. He didn't even know how he was standing.
The man continued as if he hadn't heard.
"I'll have a frozen caramel without milk, please" he said, and Merlin truly saw him for the first time now. They were about the same height, but the blond was wider, more muscular where Merlin was wiry. They both had blue eyes, but the man's was baby blue, while Merlin's was cerulean. He had a chiselled jawline, and a regal nose that matched full lips and the final result was gorgeous, with a side of posh. It dripped from every syllable out of his mouth. On another day, Merlin might have fallen in love immediately, but today he merely saved the image away for later reference before replying.
"We are closed" he said, enunciating each of the words clearly.
The man merely raised an eyebrow. Merlin, having lived with his uncles famed eyebrows for a long while, wasn't impressed.
"The door was open" said the posh man, with a small smile. "Surely, you lock the doors when you close."
Through the corner of his eye, Merlin saw as Sefa, his quite new coworker and the one that had been in charge of locking the doors winced. What a prat. Still, he had a point, so it seemed like there was nothing to do but to serve him. Merlin approached the counter, picking up the pen and the paper a bit more forcefully than it was needed. He looked at the man again.
"What is your order?"
"Could it be, irony of ironies, that with those unfortunate ears you are still hearing impaired?" the man asked, with a smirk. Merlin felt himself blush self-consciously at the comment. He knew his ears were prominent. Before he could bark an answer, he continued. "I said I want a frozen caramel without milk."
"What's your name?" he asked through gritted teeth.
"Arthur" the man replied, and kept standing there.
Merlin turned around, ignoring him and started picking up the objects to prepare the order — normally, he'd start with milk, as he tried to read the ingredients upside down. He hadn't memorised it all yet, as it was his first day. Now, without the milk, he was at loss of how to proceed.
"Could it be that you don't even know the ingredients?" the man asked, his voice mocking. "First, you need expresso, then you add caramel to it and the sugar"
"I know what I'm doing" Merlin said, although he didn't, not really. He poured the ingredients into the blender, but he still heard the man's response before it's noise filled the place.
"Doesn't seem like it."
Merlin just gritted his teeth as he watched the drink blend itself and finally added the ice sans milk, as requested. He could feel the man's — Arthur's — eyes still on him, but it ignored it as he poured the whole thing in one of their dragon-shaped cups that were produced for very special occasions as, for example, a new branch opening. The cold drink didn't gave the same weird vibe when filled as the hot ones, where the dragon seemed to be breathing steam on them. Merlin picked up the whipped cream when Arthur spoke again.
"No cream" he said, clearly still watching.
Merlin put the cup in front of him without a word, but the man didn't move. He looked up and saw that the man was waiting for something.
"What?" he said, knowing he was being rude and not caring the least.
"You didn't write my name on it."
Merlin frowned — this guy was clearly ready to be difficult.
"There's no one else here."
"Still" the blond said, with a smirk. "How else will I prove it was indeed me that was here buying coffee without my name in your ridiculous commemorative cups?"
Merlin picked up the pen once again, and scrawled his name on the cup.
"Happy?"
"Not really" the man said, picking up his drink. "I hate this brand of expresso, and your caramel is never really good" he took a sip, before shaking his head. "You'd imagine, for the price that it is, that it would be a better quality than this."
"If you don't like our coffee, why did you even come inside?!" Merlin asked, exasperated. He was too tired to deal with posh types who thought they owned the word and complained about every little thing.
"It wasn't for the coffee, that's for sure" he said, making a face after another sip. Merlin just wanted him to disappear. "I'm merely honouring a friend."
Merlin looked around at the empty shop, and Sefa shrugged at his comment.
"Doesn't look like honouring."
"Well, I say friend, but —" he said, looking over Merlin's shoulder and smiling. It transformed his face, making him even more handsome, if that was possible.
"Arthur!" Gwen's voice rang through the small empty shop, and Merlin turned to see her coming from kitchen, a towel still on her shoulder and a smile in her face.
Figured that the insufferable prat would be close to his old-friend-and-new-boss.
He hugged her, leaving the cup on the counter, and his voice had real warmth in it as he spoke again.
"How is my favourite sister-in-law?"
"I'm your only sister in law" she replied, but giggled. Merlin scrunched his eyes. This Arthur bloke looked nothing like Lance.
"Well, true" Arthur agreed, kissing her cheek. "Tell me, how was the opening? Was it good? Did anyone else from the office came by and asked out loud if you had chosen this spot just so my wicked sister had an excuse to come and shag you in the middle of the day?"
Morgana, then — although they looked nothing alike.
Gwen giggled, and hit him with the towel.
"Some people came by. Leon sent flowers, but couldn't come — Lance showed up for lunch, as usual, and Morgana was here too" she said, enumerating in her fingers. "Percival also came by."
"So, at least one person you're not sleeping with besides me" Arthur teased, and Merlin felt his cheeks burning alongside Gwen's, but she didn't look mortified as he felt.
Gwen turned around and looked at him.
"Oh, dear — I'm so sorry. Don't worry, you can go home. I'll close the place by myself — Arthur will help me."
"I'd never deny a lady anything" he said, smiling, and Merlin snorted at his impression of a gentleman.
Not wanting to waste his good luck, Merlin took off his apron and was quick to pick up his rucksack from where he had left it, next to the counter.
"Evening, Merlin!" Gwen said, leaning in for a kiss, and Arthur barked a laugh.
"Merlin? Really? Is this really your name?" Merlin felt himself blushing again. "I thought you were having a theme or something!"
"Don't be silly" Gwen said, shaking her head and wrapping her arm around him. "Merlin is a lovely name, for a lovely person."
"Right" Arthur said, and he didn't sound convinced, but there was a spark in his eye when he gestured. "Good night, then, Merlin. I have the feeling I'll see you around."
"Good night" Merlin replied, feeling completely wrong-footed as he walked out to the street. There was something annoying, but also attractive about this Arthur guy, and he only hoped that he wouldn't have to deal with him too often.
Knowing his luck, though, Merlin somehow didn't think it would be the case.